Fast And Exciting Football

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13341, 19 May 1941, Page 1

Fast And Exciting Football

Hard, fast football of the type which spectators enjoy to watch was seen in the Gilbey Cup series of matches which was continued on Saturday. Playing on the Domain Judea succeeded in beating Rangataua in a really good game, by 13 points to three, and on the Wharepai ground Matakana beat Cadet Old Boys in what also proved to be a very interesting contest by 16 to three. There was a fair attendance at the Domain to witness the game between Judea and Raugataua, but it was not nearly as good as the standard of football turned on by the two teams warranted. There is no doubt that Judea fully

deserved its win, and by its display it again demonstrated that it will take a very good team to lower the side’s colours. On Saturday it began with two short and never had more than 14 men —injuries keeping some of the team’s best forwards on the sideline —but in spite of this it was able to make the pace for most of the way—and make it hard, too. The forwards although carrying plenty of weight were fast, and kept on the ball with dogged persistence, a fact which prevented the opposing backs from getting going on many occasions when they appeared to be within striking distance. Again, the backs were often brilliant, and generally, combined excellently with the forwards.

It was, however, no walk over, Rangataua battling hard throughout. Last season’s champions, however, lacked the nip and the cohesion of their opponents, and although they were responsible for some devastating forward and back movements they found it no easy task to pierce the armour of their opponents. Throughout the game the tackling was hard but clean.

The game opened at a terrific pace, and the opening stages were marked by a series of assaults on the Rangataua defence by the Judea forwards. For a time play ranged about the Rangataua line and just then it appeared that the Judea pressure might cause the opposition’s defence to crumble, the Rangataua forwards fought their way clear with the ball at their toes, f Judea was not long in coming again, however, but the Rangataua defence still proved to be equal to the occasion.

Rangataua then took a hand at attack and for a period kept Judea hemmed in its own half, following which the Judea backs were seen in a really fine passing bout which again brought them dangerously near the Rangataua line, the effort falling down as a result of a forward pass. P. McLeod then came to light with an excellent dash along the left wing for Rangataua taking play out of the danger zone and fairly deep into Judea territory before he was grassed. The first try came shortly after this when, following a scrum just inside the Rangataua half, one of the Judea backs got his toe to the ball with a speculator which sent the ball toward one of the corner flags. Like a flash the brilliant Judea second five-eight, J. Stewart, was round on it, steered it over the line and pounced on it. Stewart also converted the try. Judea’s next score came as a result of a free kick for an infringement during a period of heavy ruck-

FURTHER GAMES IN GILBEY CUP SERIES JUDEA SCORES OVER RANGATAUA MATAKANA TOO GOOD FOR CADETS

ing on the Rangataua twenty-five. Stewart took the kick. Play continued at a hard pace and fortunes changld quickly. Raugataua made several valiant attempts to score, and its efforts were rewarded, when, from a scrum just outside the Judea twenty-five the ball came out to R. Dixon, the second fiveeight. who. with a brilliant dash clean through the Judea dfence on his own. T. Faulkner missed with the kick, and the first half ended; Judea S, Rangataua 3. There was no let up in the pace when the play resumed, and once again Judea opened up with an attack in which both forwards and backs combined, play being carried dangerously near the Rangataua line. A free kick relieved the position for Rangataua. Judea continued to hammer at the Rangataua defence, and then from a sortie in the twenty-five line one of the Judea forwards broke through with the ball at his toes. When near the posts he picked up brilliantly, and when tackled passed to another forward who went over in a handy position. Stewart converted. In the closing stages Rangataua battled hard for a score, but was unsuccessful. and the game ended;

Judea 13 Rangataua 3. Referee: Mr R. Haycock. Matakana’s Improved Form Matakana gav© a much improved showing against Cadet Old Boys than it did in the clash with Judea the previous Saturday. This game was also played at a fast pace, and was marked by some really line passing bouts by both sets of backs. The final score was: Matakana 1G Cadet Old Boys 3. Referee: Mr F. E. Wilson. JUNIOR GRADE Matches for Green Cup Two games were played in the junior grade in the Green Cup series, and both produced good football. The results were: Te Puke 19. beat Rangataua 6. Referee: Mr O. Slow. Judea 6, beat Cadets 5. Referee: Mr G. Denniston. ; REFEREES’ REMARKS GAMES LATE IN STARRING

As nearly all games were late in commencing, will coaches kindly allow their teams to take the held as soon as possible after their players aie ready and not put down an excessive number of practice scrums? All i eferees appreciate that players attended to their gear prior to all games. A considerable improvement was noticed in playing the ball after a tackle, but there is still a vast amount of tripping being practised in endeavouring to “tackle.” The feet should not, under any circumstances, be put in front of an opponent to bring him down. If unable to tackle fairly, admit your opponent’s elusiveness. Headlocking is also to be condemned. The football field is not a wrestling ring. Players and spectators seem to have great difficulty in understanding why some players are not penalised for apparent off side. There are five main ways a player can be offside but confusion mainly arises under this section: “A player is offside if the ball has been kicked, touched or is being carried by one of his own team behind him.” Under this section, if it is borne in mind that a player is not offside because he is in front of the ball but because he is in front of the player, j this rule is more easily understood. I A player is not offside while his opi ponents are playing the ball subject, lof course, to the “10 yards rule.” j A player can take a pass or accept a kick from his opponents while in an j apparent offside position, as his own : team were not the last to play the ' ball. An offside player to put himself onside must retire behind the member of his own team who last kicked, touched or is carrying the ball. He can be put on side by that member running past him so long as that member is not in touch, but it is a players duty to put himself on side. If a player overruns a ball, he should not wait for the play to come up to him, but retire to where play is. The other ways of being offside and methods of being put onside will be dealt with later.